Monday, December 30, 2013

Andy Granatelli, the flamboyant
former CEO of STP who won a pair of Indianapolis 500s, promoted a series of wildly
successful stock car programs at Chicago’s Soldier Field and helped make Richard
Petty a household name, died Sunday of congestive heart failure in Santa
Barbara, California, at the age of 90.

In 1961, Granatelli was
named president of Chemical Compounds; a company with just seven employees and one
product, STP. In 10 years under his guidance, STP grew to more than 2,000 employees
and sales of $100 million per year. In 1972, he teamed STP’s familiar’s “Racer’s
Edge” decals with NASCAR driver Richard Petty, beginning a sponsorship
relationship that led to seven Winston Cup Series championships.

"Stick with me," he promised Petty, "and
one day, you'll be as famous as I am."

Under his
leadership, STP spent upwards of $20 million a year on motorsports marketing, a
fortune in 1970s dollars. They became one of the first national companies to advertise
on Motor Racing Network radio broadcasts of NASCAR racing and their "Welcome
Race Fans" banners blanketed speedways from coast to coast. While Petty’s
dominance helped pushed NASCAR to new heights of popularity, Granatelli’s
free-spending ways eventually led to his departure from the company in 1973.

"Everything he did was
bigger than life," said son Vince Granatelli this week. "The thing
that gave him the most gratification in his life was what he did at the
Indianapolis 500."

His cars won at Indianapolis
in 1969 and 1973 with drivers Mario Andretti and Gordon Johncock, earning
Granatelli the nickname, “Mr. 500.”

"Andy Granatelli understood
better than anyone the spirit and challenge of the Indianapolis 500,” said Indianapolis
Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles this week. “(He) had a remarkable
ability to combine innovative technologies with talented race car drivers to
make his cars a threat to win at Indianapolis every year. Andy leaves a legacy
of historic moments that will live forever in Indianapolis 500 lore."

A member of the
International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, Granatelli is survived by his
wife, Dolly, and sons Vince and Anthony.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Motor Racing Network pit reporter Steve Post, also the co-host of MRN.com’s
weekly “Fast Food” program during the NASCAR season, will be featured in an
upcoming episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on the Food Network.

The show, titled “Soup, Salad and Seafood,” is hosted by Guy Fieri and will
air Monday, Dec. 30, at 10 p.m. (EST). It was taped in October at
“PotPie,” a home-style restaurant in Kansas City, Mo.

Post says next week’s program is an outgrowth of a friendship he and Fieri
have struck up in recent years.

“We had a chance to interview Guy when he was Grand Marshal for a Sprint
Cup Series race in Sonoma (Calif.),” Post said. “We hit it off pretty good
and talked about doing some more shows together, previewing great places to eat
in upcoming race towns.”

Their schedules merged again this year, in early October. Fieri was
in the Midwest to tape next week’s show and Post was on his way to Kansas Speedway
for the Sprint Cup Series race.

Guy Fieri

“I shot him a note about being in Kansas City and the first thing he texted
back was an invitation to one of their tapings,” Post recalls. “The next
morning at 7 a.m., I was headed to PotPie. I assumed I was there to watch
the taping and was just trying to stay out of the way when he (Fieri) grabbed a
chair and said, ‘Post, sit here.’

“The next thing I know, we were sitting with cameras rolling talking about
the incredible chicken pot pie that was served to me.”

“Having Steve featured on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ with Guy Fieri
accentuates the diversity of our staff,” said MRN President and Executive
Producer David Hyatt. “With ‘Fast Food’ on MRN.com during the racing
season, Steve Post brings the ‘Triple-D’ flair to race fans traveling to our
wide array of NASCAR tracks, leaving them with the local flavor of our sport.”

“Fast Food,” MRN.com’s online tailgate party, is streamed live each
Thursday during the NASCAR season, with Post and co-host Woody Cain searching for
the best trackside recipes. The show is part of Motor Racing Network’s
exclusive lineup of online programming produced by Craig Moore and available
for download at www.MRN.com.
The network’s full schedule of webcasts is also available through AudioNow
simply by dialing 1-832-999-1717 from any telephone.

NASCAR confirmed today that it has finalized its aerodynamic specifications for Speedweeks 2014 at Daytona International Speedway.

The sanctioning body said that spoiler height for next month's Sprint Cup Series test, the 2014 Daytona 500 and all associated Speedweeks events for the Sprint Cup Series cars will be 4.5 inches; 1/2 inch taller than last year. That taller spoiler should provide more rear down force, helping to stabilize the cars.

NASCAR recently announced a new aero package for all tracks other than the superspeedways.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Bill Elliott has a big place in the history of racing at Daytona
International Speedway. He is a two-time Daytona 500 champion and the record
holder for the fastest lap around DIS in a stock car with a speed of 210.364
mph.

On Friday, the next chapter in the Elliott legacy at the “World Center of
Racing” began as Elliott’s son Chase took his first laps around the storied
2.5-mile tri-oval as part of the three-day ARCA Racing Presented By Menards
test session.

“It was really exciting for me,” Elliott said of his first laps driving the
No. 9 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet around Daytona. “I told Dad this when we were
flying down here, it’s weird coming down here and not to come watch him
(drive). It’s kind of a weird feeling for him and I both.”

Elliott is among the approximately 40 drivers that are taking part in the
three-day test session that teams are using to prepare for the Lucas Oil 200
Presented By MAV TV American Real on Saturday, Feb. 15, part of Budweiser
Speedweeks 2014.

“The race track has been good,” Elliott said. “Doing qualifying runs is
pretty straight forward. If we ever get a chance to do a little bit of
drafting, that’s where I’m going to have to learn a lot there. The
superspeedway stuff is different for me.”

Bill Elliott is in attendance for the test and Chase plans to pick his
brain when it comes to drafting.

“I think his knowledge and his experience is going to be more so beneficial
when it comes time to be around other cars,” Elliott said. “I think he’s one of
the best when it comes to understanding the air and what it takes to take
advantage of it when you’re with other guys around you and trying to get runs
on people. Whenever that side comes into play, I’m sure he is going to have
some tips for me.”

The 18-year-old Elliott of Dawsonville, Ga., is one of the rising stars in
stock car racing. He is a developmental driver for Hendrick Motorsports and has
been competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, ARCA and the NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series.

In 2013, he accomplished some impressive achievements.

In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, he made nine starts and posted
five top-five finishes, including becoming the youngest winner in series’
history with a surprising victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. He also
became the youngest pole winner in the series’ history at Bristol Motor
Speedway.

In ARCA, he became that series’ youngest winner at Pocono Raceway in June.

Elliott’s plans for the 2014 season have not been finalized but he does
have plans to compete in the Lucas Oil 200 Presented by MAV American Real, the
80-lap, 200-mile race that is held prior to The Sprint Unlimited.

“To finally be able to come down here and be a part of this is pretty
neat,” Elliott said.

ARCA testing continues through Sunday and is open free to the public with
access to the Oldfield Grandstand through the lobby of the Daytona
International Speedway Tours and Ticket Building.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Veteran motorsports professional – and longtime
friend of Godfather Motorsports -- Norm Desjardins has announced the opening of The
Body Shop, a new company servicing auto racers throughout New England. His
facility is located at 134 Cross Road in Tamworth, New Hampshire.

The Body Shop will focus on providing oval
track and road racing enthusiasts with the complete line of Aluminum Racing
Products auto racing bodies and accessories. Better known as ARbodies, the
Greenbrier Tennessee based company has been in the business of manufacturing a
complete line of racer friendly composite silhouette bodies for motorsports
since 1982.

Desjardins has been active in the auto racing
arena for 47 years and has owned or managed a variety of motorsports related
businesses including NRP Race Cars, Quint Boisvert Racing, and BSR Products in
Mooresville North Carolina.

“I've long enjoyed working with racers and
I'm excited to launch this new venture,” said Desjardins. “ARbodies is well
known for manufacturing a superior,racer friendly product; they are one of two
companies nationally that manufactures the ABC (Approved Body Configuration)
late model body, as well as a unique line of Muscle Car bodies that have proven
popular in a variety of applications. ARbodies also offers a number of products
for asphalt and dirt track Sportsman and four cylinder competitors. We have an
extensive inventory already in place, and we look forward to servicing the
needs of the region's' racers.”

The Body Shop is open weekends during the off
season and other times by appointment. Like the company on Facebook at The Body
Shop – AR bodies for motorsports. The complete ARbodies product line can be
viewed at www.arbodies.com . Email arpnorm@hotmail.com or dial (603)
387-5598.

“Billy was the unanimous selection by everyone here at MWR
including the crew, drivers, and ownership,” said Waltrip. “We feel like
engineering is one of our strongest assets and with that type of talent in
house it was easy to promote from within. Billy has earned this opportunity
because he has helped develop and refine the engineering tools that we use
every day to make our cars faster.”

Scott, 36, began racing motorcycles as a 5-year-old and stock cars
when he turned 15. He worked in the truck series as a mechanic before he
returned to college to obtain an engineering degree. After graduating in 2005
Scott worked at Robert Yates Racing and began as an engineer at MWR in 2008. He
has served exclusively as the No. 55 team’s lead engineer the last two seasons.

“I’m honored, but I also know this is a big responsibility,” said
Scott on the announcement. “We have very high expectations for the Aaron’s
Dream Machine in 2014. Brian has been incredible to work with and is a winner,
so we can’t wait to get 2014 started.”

Scott Miller, MWR’s Executive Vice President of Competition,
performed crew chief duties on the No. 55 since Rodney Childers departure in
August. Miller will return to overseeing all of MWR’s competition effort, which
includes the No. 55, Clint Bowyer’s No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota and the No. 66
Toyota shared by Waltrip and Jeff Burton.

Vickers raced the No. 55 on a part-time basis for MWR in 2012 and
2013. He posted his third career victory at New Hampshire on July 14.

“I’ve been around Billy the last two seasons and he’s demonstrated
a strong knowledge of what makes these cars go fast,” said Vickers. “I have a
lot of faith in Billy. This is one of the strongest teams I’ve had and that’s a
great feeling heading into a new season.”

In August, Aaron’s
announced a multi-year agreement to sponsor Vickers in the No. 55 beginning at
the Feb. 23 Daytona 500. Aaron’s will sponsor each race during the length of
the agreement.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Dover
International Speedway and American Tower, Inc. have announced a new
partnership to install a Distributed Antenna System at the track prior to
Dover’s spring race weekend in 2014. The DAS will improve cellular telephone
service and increase capacity for all participating carriers on event weekends.

The
DAS — a series of hundreds of antennas — will be installed strategically
throughout the facility, including the grandstands, FanZone, Monster FunZone,
Hospitality Tent Village, Victory Plaza and within Dover Downs Hotel &
Casino.

The
DAS will allow mobile devices to connect to one of its hundreds of antennas in
the venue, an upgraded alternative to relying on the external networks of the
wireless carriers, which become overburdened with a dense population
concentration at the track on event weekends.

“Essentially,
the DAS will enhance mobile connectivity for our fans, sponsors, media and race
teams on event weekends,” said Mike Tatoian, executive vice president and COO
of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “With the evolution of smartphone technology, and
the ability for our fans to get so much more out of their experience through
channels like the NASCAR mobile app, connectivity is key while attending race
weekends.”

NASCAR
returns to Dover International Speedway May 30-June 1, 2014 for the June 1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the May 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the
May 30 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Racing comes
back again in the fall for the Sept. 26-28, 2014 weekend, including the Sept.
28 “AAA 400” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Sept. 27 NASCAR Nationwide
Series race and the Sept. 26 “Drive Sober 150” presented by the Delaware Office
of Highway Safety NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

As part of the revamped Glory
Road set to debut on Jan. 11, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced the eighth of
nine exclusive sneak peeks included in the exhibit. Fred Lorenzen's1966 No. 26 Ford Galaxie will join the 18 historic cars that
will comprise the exhibit.

Fred Lorenzen
drove the No. 26 Ford for Junior Johnson at the Dixie 400 at Atlanta
International Raceway (now Atlanta Motor Speedway) on Aug. 7, 1966. On the
heels of Ford Motor Company boycotting NASCAR, Johnson built this specially
designed Ford and signed Lorenzen as the driver in an attempt to lure Ford back
into the sport. The car was painted yellow and had a dropped nose, chopped roof
and raised rear quarter panels resembling a banana. Lorenzen qualified third
and was leading midway through the race when a front hub broke sending the car
into the wall and out of the race. When Lorenzen crashed, a journalist said,
“It’s pretty hard to drive a banana at 145 miles per hour.” The nickname stuck,
and the car has been known as the “Banana Car” ever since. This Ford ranks as
one of the most controversial stock cars in NASCAR history. Its radical body
design was used in only one race, but it brought attention to the need for body
templates, which have been used in the NASCAR inspection process ever
since.

Glory Road,
which features 18 historic stock cars encircling the Great Hall, has served as
one of the Hall’s most prominent focal points since opening. Speedways from
across the country are illustrated here as well, where guests can touch the
texture of various tracks and feel the intense banking that drivers face
week-to-week. Glory Road 2.0 will see 18 new cars that reflect the six
generations of premier series race cars that have been driven and built by some
of the sport’s most celebrated drivers, owners and mechanics. Already
announced as part of the exhibit are Buck Baker's "Black Widow" 1957
Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon's 1994 Chevrolet Lumina, Tony Stewart's 2011 Chevrolet
Impala, Ned Jarrett's 1966 Ford Fairlane, Jimmie Johnson's 2006 Chevrolet Monte
Carlo SS, Bobby Allison's 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle and Rusty Wallace's 2000 Ford
Taurus.

Sharp Gallaher Racing laid
off virtually all of its employees yesterday in the aftermath of an apparent
dispute between partners Eddie Sharp, Jr. and Bill Gallaher.

SGR employees were
informed yesterday that the team is shutting down, and all but one employee
was reportedly laid off. Multiple sources say the shutdown occurred after Gallaher informed Sharp that his
services would no longer be required. Sources close to the situation say the team
may subsequently be reopened under Gallaher’s sole ownership.

Bill Gallaher

Gallaher, a resident of Santa
Rosa, California, is a successful real estate developer specializing in premium
retirement communities and serves as Chairman of the Board of First Community
Bank, based in that community. He was announced as Sharp’s new partner on
August 7 of this season, with Gallaher saying of his new partner, "Eddie has proven he is a winner, not only in racing
but also as a person which is exactly what I look for in a successful business
combination. (I) look forward to using my expertise to bring this team to a new
level of success.”

Sharp has crafted
a lengthy resume in the sport. He formed Eddie Sharp Racing in 2005 and quickly
became one of the dominant forces in ARCA Series racing. He won the 2009 ARCA championship
and finished second in 2007, 2008 and 2010, winning a total of 19 races. He
moved to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011 after purchasing many of
the assets of Kevin Harvick, Inc., and won a pair of races in 2012 with drivers
Justin Lofton and Cale Gale.

The team fielded
Camping World Truck entries this season for a number of different
drivers, including Lofton, Austin Dillon, Max Gresham and Daniel Hemrick. SGR finished
a season-high third with Gresham at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Lofton finished
fourth in the 2013 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Sharp was unavailable for comment today, attempts to contact Gallaher
were unsuccessful .

Phoenix Racing announced today that Bobby
Labonte will drive a second car for the team in the Daytona 500 on February 23.
The move reunites the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion with Phoenix
Racing chairman emeritus, James Finch, for who he drove in 13 races in 2010 and
one race in 2013.

Harry Scott, Jr., who purchased the team from Finch in 2013, said, "James
continues to be a valuable part of our team and when he came up with the idea
of running Bobby in a second car, I jumped at the opportunity to bring him back
into the fold. Bobby is a veteran driver that can also provide valuable insight
and leadership for Phoenix Racing."

"I'm thrilled to be headed back to Daytona with Bobby Labonte," said
Finch. "I thank Harry Scott for this opportunity. He knew I would have to
be weaned off racing. I can't quit cold turkey."

"I am grateful and excited to return to Daytona with Phoenix Racing,"
said Labonte. "The Daytona 500 is obviously a special event for everyone
involved in the sport. I can't wait to get back in the car for my 22nd Daytona
500."

Labonte, who will run a number of races for Phoenix Racing this season, has won
21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in a career that began in 1991, along with
115 Top-5 and 203 Top-10 finishes. The team will provide additional information
in the coming weeks about a planned car number, crew chief and sponsors.

NASCAR Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn
spoke today about the new 2014 Sprint Cup Series rules package, saying today’s
announcement was the first step in an ongoing effort to improve on-track
competition.

The new package specifically mandates static ride height settings,
obsoleting the often-troublesome pre- and post-race front height rules.
Additionally, the 2014 rulebook will require a square leading edge on the splitter,
side skirt and rear fascia adjustments, an eight-inch rear spoiler and a
43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan.

While Stefanyshyn said NASCAR is hopeful that the new mandates will improve
competition, he cautioned that today’s announcement is only a small part of the
overall solution.

“I think it’s important to set expectations,” he said. “The things we could
do for the 2014 season were somewhat limited by timing. It should not be
construed that this is the final solution. This is the first installment in a
continuing improvement process of the racing product.”

Stefanyshyn also commented on the sanctioning body’s decision not to
utilize a tapered carburetor spacer in 2014, in an effort to reduce on-track
speeds. “There were timing issues here,” he said. “(Tapered spacers are) definitely
something we’re entertaining for 2015, but we want to take a more holistic
approach and do perhaps three things at once to come up with a more robust
solution that will serve us better in the long run. (The spacer) is something
we will definitely look at in 2015.”

NASCAR
delivered its 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package to race teams today, after
a series of tests and considerable input from around the industry.

Changes
to the package include statically setting the race car ride height and
eliminating pre- and post-race front height rules and inspections.
Additionally, the 2014 package includes a square leading edge on the splitter,
side skirt and rear fascia adjustments and an eight-inch rear spoiler. Finally,
a 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan will round out changes for 2014.

“It
was important to get the final pieces of the rules package to teams as quickly
as possible following the final tests last week,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR
vice president of innovation and racing development. “Throughout the process,
we gained valuable data that informed many of the changes for 2014. This data
will prove useful as we continue to evolve the racing product into the future.

“We
looked at a number of important factors when finalizing what the 2014 version
of the race package will look like,” Stefanyshyn said. “The Gen-6 car has been
a great asset to our sport. As we continue to improve and develop the racing
product, we’ll rely significantly on the critical data that has been generated
by the entire industry over the last several weeks. We’re extremely
appreciative of those efforts.”

The
first race featuring the new package will be at Phoenix International Raceway
on March 2. This package will not be utilized for restrictor-plate races,
including the 2014 Daytona 500 on Feb. 23.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Turner Scott Motorsports
has announced the addition of Ben Kennedy to its 2014 NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series roster. The 21-year-old will drive a full-time championship
campaign while competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors behind the wheel
of the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado. Michael Shelton, who led the No. 31 team to
TSM's first championship in 2012 with driver James Buescher, will continue his
role atop the pit box. Kennedy made his NCWTS debut for TSM in 2013, earning a best
finish of fourth at Martinsville Speedway.

Kennedy, who began his
racing career on the short tracks of central Florida, has Pro-Truck
championship titles at both Orlando Speedworld and New Smyrna Speedway, which
he earned in 2009, followed by the Super Late Model championship at Orlando
Speedworld in 2010. The great grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr.,
Kennedy made his touring series debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in
2010. Kennedy began racing full time in the NKNPSE in 2011. In 2012, Kennedy
competed in the first NASCAR-sanctioned Euro Racecar Series event, winning the
event at Tours Speedway, the first NASCAR race held on an oval in Europe.
Kennedy experienced his most successful NKNPSE season to date in 2013,
finishing fourth in the Driver Point Standings on the strength of two wins, one
pole, three Top-5 and nine Top-10 finishes in addition to being crowned as the
series' Most Popular Driver. Kennedy was selected for the NASCAR Next program
in 2013, an initiative to spotlight the sport's up-and-coming stars. The
Daytona Beach, Fla. native is also completing his Sports Management degree at
the University of Florida.

"I'm really excited
about the opportunity to be in Turner Scott Motorsports' No. 31 truck for 2014
and to be able to work alongside Michael Shelton and a very talented
crew," said Kennedy. "It will be a great year and I hope to really
learn a lot in the series and compete for wins and Rookie of the Year. It's
going to be a blast to work with such great people; I can't thank everyone I've
worked with in the past enough for getting me to this point in my career. A big
'thank you' to all my fans for always sticking behind me."

Turner Scott Motorsports
has earned two championships in the last two seasons, beginning in 2012 with
Buescher's NCWTS title. TSM captured the NKNPSE championship in 2013 with Dylan
Kwasniewski behind the wheel. In 2013, TSM's Truck Series program totaled four
wins, 10 poles, and finished the season with all three of its full-time trucks
in the Top 10 for the second-consecutive season.

"We are very
excited to have Ben [Kennedy] running full time for us in the Truck
Series," said team co-owner Harry Scott Jr. "I believe we all have
seen his potential over the last few years and we're looking forward to seeing
all that he can accomplish while running for us full time. He's an impressive
young man who is not only a talented racer, but also very smart and very
driven. Turner Scott Motorsports has always been about developing talent for
the future of our sport, and Ben is very representative of that. I know that
everyone in our organization, especially the No. 31 crew, is looking forward to
working with Ben and having a very successful year."

Friday, December 13, 2013

Turner Scott Motorsports has
released 2012 Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher from his
contract, freeing Buescher to accept a full-time 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series ride
with RAB Racing with Brack Maggard.

Buescher finished third in the
Truck Series championship standings last season, with a pair of wins at
Michigan and Iowa, four Top-5 and 14 Top-10 finishes. Both RAB and Turner Scott
field full-time Nationwide Series teams, but Buescher said RAB’s strong
ties to Toyota and the Toyota Racing Development engine program offer him a
better career path.

“There are a lot of reasons
to make this move,” said Buescher on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio’s Sirius XM Speedway, “but the support RAB
Racing gets from Toyota was the biggest factor in my decision. The opportunity arose
for me to sign a new, multi-year Nationwide Series deal with RAB Racing, with a
better path to a potential Sprint Cup Series ride than I’ve ever had before.”

Turner Scott Motorsports is
owned in part by Buescher’s father-in-law, Steve Turner, and the former Truck
Series champion said all parties worked diligently to separate business from
family.

“Was it complicated? Yes and
no,” he said. “It’s hard when you’re tied-in with family, but everyone knew it
was coming sooner or later. Turner Scott Motorsports does not have a Sprint Cup
Series team, and everyone knows that my ultimate goal is to be a Cup Series driver
one day.

“Everyone is fine with this
decision and agrees it’s the best opportunity for me to take the next step in
my career."Turner also commented on the move, saying, "I have
always been supportive of James and I am very proud of everything that he has
accomplished while driving for our team. I am excited for
James and his new opportunities, and everyone at TSM would like to wish him the
best in his future endeavors. I will always continue to support him and cheer
him on as a member of my family, but his departure from Turner Scott
Motorsports does not change the passion I have for this team. I love racing and
have no plans to diminish my role as a co-owner of our organization. I am
looking forward to a successful season in 2014 with a very strong lineup of
drivers."An announcement on sponsorship
for Buescher's new team is expected in the near future.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Iowa Speedway today introduced
Jimmy Small as its new track president. Small’s appointment at the Iowa Events
Center in Des Moines comes on the heels of NASCAR’s announcement two weeks ago
that it had purchased the Speedway.

Several of the sport’s top
executives along with state and local dignitaries were present for the
announcement.

“Jimmy’s tireless
dedication, energy and experience make him the ideal candidate for leading Iowa
Speedway into this new era,” said Eric Nyquist, NASCAR vice president,
strategic development. “He has a strong background in identifying and creating
fan experience improvements and defining best practices designed to help strengthen
sponsor relations and ticket sales. In addition, he will have a great support
structure at the Speedway and NASCAR.”

Small, 28, joins the
Speedway after six years with NASCAR in various business-building capacities.
Most recently, he served as senior manager for team marketing services within
the NASCAR Industry Services department out of the Charlotte, N.C., office. In
that role, he was the business and marketing liaison with teams and drivers in
all three national series.

When Small started in the
sport in 2008, he worked out of NASCAR’s Daytona Beach, Fla., headquarters
coordinating event weekends with tracks, television partners and teams.

“I’m honored to be presented
with this opportunity to help guide Iowa Speedway in the next chapter of its
life,” Small said. “We will continue fanning the intense passion for
motorsports that is prevalent here, and do our best to showcase Iowa Speedway’s
fast, exciting short-track racing in creative, fan-friendly ways.”

Small is a Detroit native
and graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He was named as a member of Sports
Pro Magazine’s The 10 NEXT Class of 2012, an honor recognizing 10 sports
executives under the age of 30.

The track currently is
gearing up for its slate of three NASCAR race weekends during the 2014 season.
The Speedway’s season opens May 17-18, with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
versus West Challenge on Saturday night followed by a 250-lap NASCAR Nationwide
Series race on Sunday. The weekend of July 11-12, Iowa Speedway will host a
Friday night NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event and an IndyCar Series race
on Saturday. A second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East versus West Challenge race
is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 1 followed by another 250-lap NASCAR Nationwide
Series event Saturday night.

Season ticket holders may renew
their tickets for the 2014 season, and will have an exclusive right to secure
their current seats until Sunday, Jan. 5. All season tickets, with prices
starting at $95, will include a guaranteed seat location, complimentary Casey’s
Fan Walk pass and an opportunity to participate in pre-race ceremonies. Season
tickets, parking passes and onsite camping options are available online at www.iowaspeedway.com, or
by calling the toll-free ticketing hotline, 866-RUSTY-GO (787-8946).
Single-event tickets and weekend packages will become available on Monday, Jan.
6.

Iowa Speedway’s ticketing
office, located at 3333 Rusty Wallace Drive in Newton, also will be open to
assist customers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3
p.m. Saturday, holidays excepted.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

NASCAR was back on track at
Charlotte Motor Speedway today to gather data for the development of the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series intermediate-track package for 2014. A total of 30 race teams
were on site in Concord, N.C., to confirm several changes to the Gen-6 car in
an effort to improve racing at intermediate tracks in 2014.

“We
accomplished our goal today,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of
innovation and racing development. “We wanted to take the results from October
and get more data and feedback that will ultimately allow us to arrive at a
final setup for our intermediate tracks. With more cars and teams here today,
we were able to learn a great deal that will benefit the racing next year and
beyond.”

The
test included several physical changes to the car such as ride heights,
splitters, skirts and spoilers that were established during the October test.
NASCAR, the manufacturers and the teams worked cohesively to identify and
implement each of the potential changes. The overall goal for the new package
is to help promote more side-by-side racing and passing throughout each race.

“We
saw progress today in terms of passing with each of the new configurations,”
Stefanyshyn said. “We want to arrive at more green-flag passing at intermediate
tracks next season with our new setup. From the results in October and today’s
test we are very excited at the prospects.”

Stefanyshyn
and team were able to test various setups on the Gen-6 car, each supported by
data-driven research with specific effects. The 2014 changes will build on a
very successful rollout of the Gen-6 race car in 2013. The new car had notable
gains in passing throughout the year, shattering 19 track qualifying records
and guiding 17 different drivers to victory.

Sixteen teams and 30 drivers were
onsite at the track for the final NASCAR test of 2013. More than 140
race-replicating laps were run throughout providing key data to finalize the
decision on changes to the Gen-6 car.

For approximately 30 minutes Sunday night, Chase Elliott
was the undisputed king of short track stock car racing.Elliott, son of former NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion
Bill Elliott and himself an insanely talented wheel man, became the first
driver in history to win the prestigious Snowball Derby at Florida’s Five Flags
Speedway, after prevailing in the previous day’s Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model
event.And then, it all came apart.

A post-race technical inspection revealed a piece of
tungsten ballast attached to the chassis of Elliott’s machine, and with tungsten
expressly prohibited in the Snowball Derby rules -- in BOLD FACE TYPE – the violation cost Elliott both his trophy
and $20,000 winner’s purse.

The disqualification triggered an immediate firestorm of
controversy, with some observers questioning whether the infraction was serious
enough to warrant stripping Elliott of the win. Others rode to the young driver’s
defense, saying he likely had no knowledge of the illegal ballast and
supporting his claim that the violation was little more than an oversight.

None of that matters to me, and here’s why.

In racing, some things are illegal because they give a
performance advantage. Some are illegal because they are too costly. Some are
illegal because they compromise safety. No matter what, they're all illegal,
and in my opinion, that should be the end of the story.

The offending tungsten. (Speed51.com)

I don’t buy the whole, "it was illegal, but it
didn't give me an advantage" argument, and neither should you. It's a
cheap cop-out used by guys who have just gotten caught with their
hands in the cookie jar. The argument that tungsten ballast offers no
competitive advantage is also ludicrous, on a number of counts.

In many race cars, ballast is
inserted into chassis frame rails in blocks that are approximately 2 5/8 inches
x 3 5/8 inches. In that configuration, a 25- pound block of tungsten measures approximately
3.75″ long, while 25 pounds of lead is nearly 6.5″ long. Concentrating more weight in less space allows more
precise chassis adjustment, and in a division where left-side weight percentage
is regulated with a fine-toothed comb, there is no such thing as an
inconsequential advantage. Roll center
and center of gravity can also be more precisely set with tungsten than lead,
giving teams even more of a handling edge.

If it truly offers no competitive edge, why would NASCAR Sprint Cup and
Nationwide teams with unlimited budgets spend thousands of dollars on tungsten
ballast? Clearly, they understand that there’s something important to be
gained. If it wasn’t better, it would not have been on Chase Elliott’s car. Bet
on that.

Here’s another point to ponder.

Racers fail post-race inspections all the time, for a
wide variety of reasons. Some of infractions are fairly minor, while others are
more blatant. Each of those nefarious deeds, however, was undertaken for one
simple reason: to make the race car faster.

Not fancy, just effective.

When was the last time you heard of someone getting caught
doing something illegal that made their car worse? Never, that’s when!
And there’s a good reason for that.

I was not at Five Flags Speedway Sunday, and I know
little or nothing about the specifics of Chase Elliott’s violation. But I'll bet
dollars against donuts that the tungsten ballast in question was mounted low
and to the left, rather than high and right. It was mounted there for
a reason, and it did what it was intended to do. Big advantage or small, nothing
on these race cars happens by mistake.

Some argue that in a Snowball Derby pit filled with $200,000 transporters, a
few thousand dollars in tungsten is hardly the end of the world. That may be
true, but not one of those high-dollar Toterhomes ever won a race. It may make its
owner more comfortable getting to the track, but it does nothing once the green
flag flies.

Teams don't need a fancy hauler to compete. My Super Late
Model team gets to the track in a modest, 24-foot box trailer pulled by a Ford
F350 dually. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets us where we’re going every week,
while leaving us a little more money to spend on our race car.

The problem with a high-buck item like tungsten is that once somebody has it, everybody’s
got to have it if they hope to keep up. If I suddenly have to spend $20,000 on
ballast for my race car -- instead of melting down used wheel weights
from the tire store -- it's going to dramatically hasten my exit from the
sport.

Nobody can prevent a rich man from spending his own money.
But race tracks and sanctioning bodies can -- and should -- prevent him
from spending his money in ways that diminish competition or break the
rules. Elliott’s car had an advantage, and it was illegal.

NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. suffered a
badly bruised arm in a recent karting crash. The injury is not expected to impact his availability
for the 2014 season, and Piquet should be fully recovered in time for
SpeedWeeks 2014 at Daytona International Speedway.

The second-generation driver
posted a photo of the injury on his Instagram account, before returning to his home in Brasilia, Brazil for the holidays. He was
unavailable for comment today.

Piquet struggled in his
inaugural season of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition with Turner
Motorsports, managing five Top-10 finishes in 33 starts en route to a 12th-place
finish in the championship standings. His best finish was an eighth in the Feed
The Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway in late June.

No announcement has been
made regarding his plans for the 2014 season.

Joey Coulter
will have a new ride for the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series season. Coulter ran the
full Truck schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports last season, finishing 15th
in championship points with three Top-5 and five Top-10 finishes, highlighted
by a runner-up showing at Kansas in late April. Now, Coulter is set to run the full 2014 Truck Series for a new team owned by Allegiant Air CEO Maurice Gallagher and fielded
out of the Coulter Motorsports shops in North Carolina. The team will be sponsored
by Allegiant Air, a low-cost airline headquartered
in Enterprise, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas.Allegiant Air fielded
entries for Spencer Gallagher -- son of Maurice Gallagher – in three Truck
Series events this season at Kansas, Texas and Homestead Miami Speedways, with
a top finish of 20th in the Lone Star State. Spencer Gallagher will
reportedly run a full-time ARCA and part-time Truck schedule in 2014, with
Coulter serving as driver coach. Jeff Stankiewicz will reportedly serve as crew chief for Coulter's truck effort.

Contacted today for comment, Coulter
said the deal is close to completion, with an official announcement
possible next week.

"It's not a deal until its
signed sealed and delivered," he said, "but we're getting
close."